Newcastle A167(M) Central Motorway roadworks to start next week until 2027 - everything you need to know
Newcastle City Council has confirmed that a multi-million pound programme of repairs to the Central Motorway will begin next Monday, August 11.
The works will involve full overnight closures of the A167(M) and the motorway, which is used by up to 80,000 vehicles per day, being reduced to one lane in each direction during the daytime for much of the next 18 months.
Adding to the restoration works on the Tyne Bridge and the ongoing closure of the Gateshead Flyover on the other side of the river, these latest works are set to add to congestion concerns in central Tyneside.
Here is everything you need to know about what will be happening on what is one of the city’s busiest roads.
Which section of the Central Motorway is affected?
The roadworks are focused on the A167(M) Central Motorway’s elevated viaduct which runs through Newcastle city centre, from its junction with the Great North Road to the New Bridge Street roundabout.
What closures will be in place and when do they start?
Starting from August 11, full overnight closures of the southbound carriageway of the A167(M) will be in place each night from 8pm to 6am until August 15.
From August 13, full overnight closures of the northbound carriageway will also be in place on weekday nights from 8pm to 6am until August 15.
During the daytime, the restrictions will commence from Thursday, August 14. This will start with a reduction of the Central Motorway’s northbound carriageway down to one lane.
That situation will continue until the end of September before, as the project progresses through the autumn, both north and southbound traffic is then reduced to only one lane simultaneously.
From that point, with full overnight closures in both directions and various overnight closures of key slip roads also planned, the council says the scheme will be “highly disruptive to the travelling public”.
What work is taking place?
Contractors VolkerStevin will be tasked with making repairs to decayed concrete on the underside of the viaduct and its supporting structure, as well as installing a protection system to prevent further deterioration and extend the lifespan of the structure. They will also be replacing every bridge deck joint on the viaduct, of which there are 115, with an overall length of 1,600 metres.
Why does it have to happen now?
This will be the first major round of maintenance on this section of the Central Motorway since 2004 and the council has said that it must be done “at the earliest opportunity” to avoid further decay, despite clashing with the other road restrictions already causing delays on the Tyne Bridge and around the Gateshead Flyover.
Coun Juna Sathian, cabinet member for transport and climate at Newcastle City Council, added: “With the Tyne Bridge works well under way, we can now focus on the crucial upgrades to central motorway, one of the key routes in our city, used by up to 80,000 vehicles a day.
“The works have been programmed to start during the summer holidays, when traffic is lightest, in order to minimise any disruption to the travelling public. We know there are other works going on in the area, but it is important that these works get under way to ensure the safety of road-users as well as future-proof a key part of the city’s infrastructure.
“Newcastle is very much open for business during these vital works and we are asking people to plan ahead, allow more time for their journey and consider using public transport where possible.”
How long will it take to complete?
Newcastle City Council has estimated that the project will take up to 18 months. That would mean it should be finished by early 2027.
Is this similar to the Gateshead Flyover’s problems?
A survey was carried out on the Central Motorway viaduct earlier this year, which confirmed that it was suffering from signs of deteriorating concrete. That came in the wake of the closure of the nearby Gateshead Flyover last December, amid fears that it could collapse.
The Gateshead Flyover remains shut and is due to be demolished, and its problems have sparked concern about other pieces of ageing infrastructure.
While the Central Motorway structure is of a similar age, having been built in the 1970s, Newcastle City Council transport chiefs have reassured the public that its decay is “not on the scale of Gateshead’s issues”.
How are the works being paid for and what will they cost?
A £9 million funding package has been set aside for the Central Motorway works, paid for by the Government and the city council. The funding is drawn from the larger £41.4 million programme which is focused on the restoration of the Tyne Bridge.
It was originally expected that more money than this would be spent on the motorway, but the rising costs of the bridge works led local authority chiefs bosses to prioritise that and divert some money away from the A167(M).